Should authors have more say when their novels are adapted to TV or film?

Short answer: Absolutely. But the long answer is a lot more complicated.

For one, authors write novels for a reason. That’s how they like to express themselves. TV and movie writing is a completely different ballgame. When I studied screenwriting in college, for instance, I had never felt so lost in my life. That being said, I don’t think authors should be entirely removed from their work when it is adapted just because it’s a different art form. In fact, I think it benefits everyone to work together. (I also understand that TV/Film rights have a lot to do with the author’s literary agency and how they negotiated a deal.) After acknowledging that, though, I want to talk about why I wish authors had more say so in the end.

Do you watch Shadowhunters on FreeForm? No. Don’t worry. I’ll write this article around it, but I think it’s a great, modern example of how adaptations can go wrong, even in a damaging way, so it might be easier to understand if you do watch the show or read the books or check out the article I discuss below.

Listen, I’m a HUGE Cassandra Clare fan. I’m also a pretty open-minded fan. In fact, I rarely complain about adaptations, because that’s what they are—adaptations—and I even enjoyed the movie. (No, seriously, I own it and watch it all the time.) I was also a fan of the show…until recently.

Returning to the interview (which again, please read), I was appalled by some of the changes and ideas strewn throughout the show.

It grosses me out that FreeForm’s original goal was to take away Alec and Magnus’s relationship, because they are gay, while adding unnecessary violence against the female characters “to attract a male audience.”

Um…excuse me?

I mean, seriously? Does that not gross you out? That entire concept?

Spoilers ahead for books and show. If you want to skip, look for next bolded line.

I was always bothered by Alec’s fiancée Lydia in Season 1, but I can also admit that I didn’t notice the difference in violence against the female cast until last week’s episode. Between Lydia’s attack, Izzy’s attack, Clary being “stabbed” in a dream sequence, and Jocelyn’s death that never happened in the books, I found myself highly uncomfortable and trying to figure out why. Then I read Cassandra Clare’s interview, and it all made sense. I am all for adaptations, but last week’s episode was wrong, whether or not Jocelyn comes back to life in tonight’s episode. (Which, I think, she most likely will.)

End of spoilers.

The new team claims to have a different stance than the previous producers, but last week showed much of the same problematic instances, including unnecessarily violence against the female cast and keeping a gay couple apart because “no audience wants to see that” (insert middle finger here). I also did not find it a coincidence that they only sent Clare the first three episodes of Season 2 for her approval and then this fourth one followed the original, damaging aspects. Granted, will I watch it tonight? Probably. I want to see if they’ll change their ways before I judge too harshly. But that doesn’t change my opinion about last week’s episode or what we learned through Clare’s interview—an interview, I will add, that was very brave. Authors aren’t normally so open and honest about this topic. Mainly because there is a conflict of interest, but also because we expect authors to simply be grateful that their work is being adapted at all. A sentiment I disagree with.

I am so glad Cassandra Clare fought to change some of the script, because the changes didn’t just misrepresent the story; the changes misrepresented the work (and the author) entirely.

If an adaptation is homophobic, racist, sexist, or otherwise damaging, shouldn’t an author be able to step in and stop it?

Again, I’m ALL for adaptations. I’m not saying that an author should have the final say over every little thing, or even over major aspects of book-to-movie life. But I do believe in creating better, positive pieces of art. And if a director told me they were going to start abusing females and tearing LGBTQIA characters apart because “men like that”, I’d hope that the world would back me up in stopping such an atrocity.

What do you think? Should authors have more say-so in adaptations? If so, what should they have control over and when? Where is the line? And should they draw a new one?

I know so many of you saw Star Wars already, but I haven’t, so please don’t be disappointed that I’m not talking about it yet. I will see it soon, I promise!

What I’m Writing:

I’m working on the revisions of Take Me Tomorrow. I finished the initial run-through, so now, I’m basically sitting on it and letting it be for a little while I decide what I want to keep and what I don’t want to keep. This upcoming week, I might work on a secret project while I let Take Me Tomorrow stew.

What I’m Publishing:

The cover designer finished the covers for Bad Bloods! Eeeeee. So, you can expect a cover reveal soon-ish, which means there will probably be an opportunity to win some prizes. (I’m thinking an exclusive sneak peek, like the first chapter of November Rain.) Keep your eyes locked on your emails. I’ll be sending out a call for help via my newsletter. If you’re not subscribed, you can subscribe to my newsletter here. Your information will never be given away, no purchase is necessary, and you can unsubscribe at any time. (It only goes out once a month, if that.)

And, of course, the #1lineWed preview. This week’s theme was memory.

I recalled how he walked in the rain. With that memory, others crept in. His half-laugh. His honesty. The dimple on his right cheek.

I started and finished Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. (She loves Boo Boo.) And, as many of you already know, it absolutely wrecked me. I wish I could explain how much I ugly cried, but my roommate had the unfortunate timing of walking in on me while reading the ending. He thought my cats died. But you can read my five-star review here. Clockwork Princess is a heartbreaking, courageous adventure, a tale of flawed heroes and bright heroines, a death-defying journey of ill-fated lovers. It will surely stay with you forever.

I finished Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 9 by Naoko Takeuchi. I definitely gave this particular volume five stars, but I’m a bit biased. The Dead Moon Circus is probably my favorite character arc. I love it. I feel like we see more of all the characters in this arc, and everyone has matured greatly from how they started out. This is the one that brings everyone together and at their best. Here is my full review.

What I’m Listening To:

Mainly podcasts. Without getting into too much detail, I listened to Japanese Fairy Tales by Theodora Ozaki, Myths and Legends by Jason Weiser, The Publishing Profits Podcast Show by Tom Corson-Knowles, and Writing Excuses by Brandon Sanderson. I LOVE Writing Excuses. might do a blog post about these, which is why I’m not going to get into detail here, but they are great!

What I’m Watching:

Interstellar: Yes. I finally saw it. I know. I know. I’m super late on that, but…I kind of already knew what was going to happen based on things I saw and read after it released, which is probably why I didn’t go out of my way to see it earlier.

What I’m Baking, Making, and Drinking:

I baked tomato mac n’ cheese and made beef tongue stew. (That’s a thing.) I have a weird love for organ meat.

What I’m Wearing:

Pajamas and my hair in an ever-sliding bun.

What I’m Wanting:

Lady Midnightby Cassandra Clare: This is the first book in The Dark Artifices, the next Shadowhunters series she’s starting. After wrecking me with The Infernal Devices, I’m dying for another series. I love Cassandra Clare so much.

The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski – YES, even though the cover of the third book has changed and won’t match the rest of the series, I WANT this book more than ever.

What I’m Dreaming Of:

Well, the best one I had this week involved my truck a lot. At first I was driving it from the backseat at night. (There’s no backseat in my truck.) Then, a cop was trying to pull me over, so I was attempting to get back into the front seat, and because of the sudden movement, the cop started shooting me. Flash-forward. Like a blink. I was in my driveway with my best friend. I’ve recruited her for a rather…interesting job. I’m storing bones beneath my truck’s driver’s seat. Human bones. An old man and a teenage girl. Why? I have no clue. But my neighbor sees us outside and comes riding over on his lawnmower (which is funny, because I had a neighbor that actually used to do this). And we know we’re going to get caught, but my friend thinks she can just sit in front of you know…the corpses…and he won’t see them. OF course that doesn’t work. He’s just sitting on his lawn mower, in shock, unable to run or anything. And I’m just staring at him, trying to decide what to do…when I wake up. Shake my head. And go back to sleep.

What Else Is Going On:

So…Shannon has a delightful story for everyone.

Setting the scene: I’m home. Late at night. By myself. When I hear a strange noise I’ve never heard before. Right. Outside. My. Window.

The cats react.

They jump under the nearest piece of furniture they can find.

Okay.

Strange.

But I can’t see outside into the dark because I have all the lights on…so I go upstairs to look out a dark window. And I’m searching. And I’m searching. And I’m…

The back door is getting beat in, and the entire house is shaking, and you better believe I am dialing 911 faster than I can type. (Which is pretty fast by the way.)

The cops also show up very fast. (Way to go, Gladstone PD.)

And suddenly there are five cops running around my house in the dark with their flashlights, shouting and such, when an equivalent amount of deer come out of the backyard and try to attack them.

Apparently, one of these guys was literally trying to beat in my back door.

This post is going to look SUPER long, but it’s mainly because I’m including the individual blurbs for November Rain and November Snow. (Yes. They are finally ready!)

What I’m Writing:

Many of you will be excited to hear that I’m back into Take Me Yesterday, book 2 of The Tomo Trilogy. I hit a snag last time I was writing, and then my energy had to go toward Bad Bloods—which is definitely going to happen again when final edits come around—but for now, I am working on the sequel of Take Me Tomorrow. I’m currently in chapter eight, about 11,500 words in. As many of you saw on my Instagram, Bogart recently protected my notes for Take Me Yesterday by laying on them. That being said, I know I need to refocus my energy soon and go back to Take Me Tomorrow, book one, to make the best book I can before I continue forward with book 2.

What I’m Publishing:

The final back blurbs for each part of Bad Bloodsis finally available! You can read them below. And of course, the winning #1lineWed preview is here as well. The theme was hot: She wasn’t smiling, but a warmth radiated from her, as if she could hug people from a distance. ‪

Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them. Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.

(eBook releases one week later, with the paperback releasing in November of 2016)

When Daniel and Serena unite, their accidental relationship becomes the catalyst for a twelve-year war to continue. Exposing the twisted past of a corrupt city, Daniel, Serena, and everyone they know will come together to fight. But Serena has another battle. After a political rumor threatens their lives, Serena must leave her family and join the political front against her will. To survive apart, Daniel has to separate his love from his hatred and join forces with his worst memory to secure Vendona’s war. But very few of them will survive to see the last day. Bad blood or human, a city will burn, snow will fall, and all will be united by catastrophic secrets and irrevocable tragedy.

The Conjurer’s Riddle by Andrea Cremer: I finished it! I basically could do nothing but read this novel over my weekend. (My weekends are Sunday through Tuesday, by the way.) I am in LOVE with this series, and I am already dying for the third book. It’s brilliant, and you can read why in my review here. On a side note, there is definitely a third book. I tweeted to the lovely author, and she tweeted back! That deserves an extra star.

Clockwork Prince: I was so set on steampunk after reading The Conjurer’s Riddle that I had to continue The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. This is book 2, and to be honest, I should’ve started reading it a LONG time ago, since I read the first one in July, but it’s been on my nightstand, and I’m glad I finally picked it up again. Loved it! In fact, I finished it too. (Told you I read a lot this week.) I actually didn’t like Will very much in the first book, but he’s grown on me a lot more in this one. Same with Jem. And now I think I’m broken. This book definitely deserves 5 stars, and you can read my entire review here. (I NEED the third book now.) Also…Cassandra Clare liked my review of her work. I think I died and went to Heaven.

Trial by Fireby Josephine Angelini: I finished it in the middle of the night after I posted my last Saturdate article. And…I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t a fan. Don’t get me wrong. I think many readers could LOVE this book, but it wasn’t for me. I explained why in my 2.5-star review, but it mainly came down to the voice and characters. The world building is unique, the story is written well, and you’ll probably enjoy it if you love witches, other dimensions, love triangles, and vegan protagonists. Read my full review here.

What I’m Listening To:

Lykke Li, because she’s my Tomo Trilogy star. I’m trying to get back into Sophia’s voice, and Lykke Li was the number one singer I listen to while working on this trilogy.

What I’m Watching:

Mockingjay Part 2: I just saw this a few hours ago, but I LOVED it. (I also got mistaken for wearing cosplay to the movie theatre…excuse me for wearing a side braid and boots. This is my usual attire.) That being said, I thought it was awesome. I still think they didn’t need to divide the last book into two movies, but for the readers out there, (spoilers for the rest of the people) I was a little sad to see that they played down Finnick’s sacrificial death a bit. On a positive note, seeing Tigris was PHENOMENAL. I also thought they made the overall tone of the ending much happier and little less, you know, insane, and aside from a few other edits, I still thought it was a great movie for a great book. Can’t believe it’s over. </3

The Yes Men Are Revolting: So this is the best documentary ever. Basically, it follows a group of pranksters (also activists) who focus on bringing attention to political issues currently being ignored by world leaders.

Men, Women, & Children: This is an Adam Sandler movie about how the Internet has affected modern families, and let me tell you, it’s scary how realistic it is (and terribly sad). I thought it was a wonderful movie, but it’s definitely (and intentionally) uncomfortable.

That Sugar Film: Another documentary I watched this week, but this one is Australian, and it’s about how sugar affects the body of one guy. I know you all see me baking a lot, so I do consume sugar, but I’m actually really weary of what I consume. I rarely drink soda or eat processed foods, for instance, so I find documentaries like this to be interesting. This one was a bit bizarre humor-wise, but had some interesting stats to see.

Fifty Shades of Grey: Yep. That happened. One of my good friends hadn’t seen it yet—and she helped me shop this week—so we rented it and watched it. As controversial as it is to talk about, I’m actually interested in seeing what they’ll do with the sequels (since they recently announced they’ll be filming both sequels back-to-back at the start of 2016). I’m hoping Taylor, the body guard/assistant of Christian Grey, gets more screen time, because his side story was my favorite.

What I’m Baking, Making, and Drinking:

Jalapeno cheddar pasta and cheesy potato ham casserole. No pictures this time, but they were both great!

What I’m Wearing:

I have new boots! And they’re steampunk boots. I couldn’t quite capture their beauty on Instagram, but the backs have golden spokes on them. They went perfectly with The Conjurer’s Riddle.

What I’m Wanting:

The next book in The Inventor’s Secret series. Come on, Andrea Cremer! I’m addicted. I know you’re the process of writing it, but, but, but…

I would also like Clockwork Princess, book 3 in The Infernal Devices, because my heart needs mending after book 2.

What I’m Dreaming Of:

Bogart was a BAT! Which is awesome…because bats are my favorite animals. But, yes. Bogart turned into a bat, and he was super tiny too. He even helped me find Kiki—another one of my cats—who was stuck in the wall or something. (If you only knew Kiki, this wouldn’t surprise you.)

I had a little white dog I loved dressing up as Pikachu…and everyone thought I was crazy, but I borrowed my father’s truck and turned that into a Pikachu truck…and then four other Pikachu-themed cars parked next to mine, and it was the best day of my life.

What Else Is Going On:

The Black Friday Sale for The Timely Death Trilogy has begun! From now until November 30, you can get the first book in the trilogy for free and the second book for only .99¢ on Smashwords. Use the code WS34V at the links below to read more this holiday season.